INVEST - Gold Coast Health & Knowledge Precinct

Filed Under: BUSINESS, HEALTH, INVEST, People of the Precinct, PROJECTS, Research

Bright spots in 2020 and bright future in 2021 and beyond

Professor Mario Pinto, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research), Griffith University and Chair GCHKP Strategic Advisory Group

2020 marks the 20^th anniversary of the Precinct’s Institute for Glycomics at Griffith University, and Institute founder Professor Mark von Itzstein started on a high, by being named Gold Coast Citizen of the Year on Australia Day. Of course the year, and the celebrations didn’t quite go to plan.

We look forward to Australia Day 2021, with one of our Precinct’s favourite people, Dr Dinesh Palipana OAM, named Queensland Australian of the Year, and in the running for the nation’s top honour, capping off a stellar year for Queensland’s first quadriplegic doctor.

In between, much has happened in the Precinct and we can be sure that amidst the challenges, change and ‘pandemic pivoting’ that Australia is indeed the lucky country, and Queensland and the Gold Coast are the best places to be for a bright future, as GCHKP Strategic Advisory Group Chair Professor Mario Pinto reflects.

“For all the upheaval, and that very much includes our university sector, this pandemic year has brought research success, new partnerships and some business growth, and certainly heightened commercial interest in our Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct, beyond the COVID-19 horizon.

Who would have predicted that the pandemic would serve as a catalyst for increased interest in our Precinct?”

Probiotics-based biotech company Cluster Biotech moved into our Precinct in May, taking one of the new lab spaces at Cohort Innovation Space, and is already building new business. Compliance software start-up Virtual Mgr, also based at Cohort, turned the pandemic into an opportunity to pivot and even expand into the UK. Just a couple of ‘bright spots’.

Geography, stability and relative safety are strong attributes that will be more important than ever for our Precinct’s future success.

Social distancing has altered perspectives on company locations and remote working and only intensified the premium lifestyle appeal of the Gold Coast, as is evident by interstate and international company interest and reports of growing real estate sales through interstate migration, in the general absence of overseas migration and opportunities for international engagement.

Like other innovation precincts, we have a significant opportunity to build on renewed respect for science and research, and the appreciation of the value of our world-class Australian health system.

Given our healthcare assets and emerging and growing capability in advanced design and other Industry 4.0 technologies for future manufacturing, particularly in the area of medical technologies, our Precinct is well-placed to ride on a wave of interest and investment in the new economy, that will lead us through recovery and drive future growth.

Initiatives such as the Australian Government’s $1.5billion Modern Manufacturing Strategy and the focus on sovereign capacity and supply chain resilience, will assist us to partner with and attract innovative companies actively engaged in R&D, enrich and grow our existing innovation ecosystem, and enhance our impact.

Importantly, as an emerging Precinct, in a youthful city and relatively young nation, we genuinely represent a new horizon for global talent and innovative businesses, in a post-pandemic world.”

2020 Bright Spots

Professor of Emergency Care Julia Crilley (second from left) and nurse colleagues

Well-earned recognition in this International Year of the Nurse

2020 could not have been a more appropriate year to dedicate to acknowledging the amazing work of nurses.

Here in the GCHKP, Griffith University celebrated its Nursing and Midwifery program ranking No 1 in Australia, and No 2 in the world!

Meanwhile, Gold Coast Health became the first full health service in Australia to win prestigious International Magnet recognition for Nursing and Midwifery services.

Dedicated Gold Coast University Hospital nurse and Professor of Emergency Care Julia Crilley OAM was recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, alongside Griffith University Pro-Vice-Chancellor Health, Professor Sheena Reilly AM, who is a renowned paediatric health researcher.

COVID - health and research response

Professor Michael Good AO, Principal Research Leader, Institute for Glycomics, past Chairman of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and Queensland Great was appointed to the National Covid-19 Health and Research Advisory Committee.
Professor Michael Good

Gold Coast University Hospital treated some of Australia’s first COVID-19 patients in late January, and completed major COVID training across the health service, including 250 clinical simulations in April alone.
COVID 19 Clinical Research – researchers and clinicians have developed a world-first Precision Medicine Data Platform, including a COVID-19 dashboard, to help ICU clinicians make critical patient care decisions utilising artificial intelligence (AI). Start-up company Datarwe was awarded $1.5m Advance Queensland funding for platform and has set up a new data lab as Queensland’s new AI Hub for health at Cohort Innovation Space.

COVID-19 vaccine and therapy research – there’s been extensive research into COVID-19 vaccines and therapies as well as pandemic impacts, including a multi-pronged Glycomics approach (which included a $200,000 investment by the Queensland Government and City of Gold Coast); $300,000 from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) awarded to Professor Nigel McMillan of Griffith’s Menzies Health Institute Qld for gene silencing (sRNA) technologies targeting COVID; and Professor Suresh Mahalingham, also of Menzies, partnering with a major Indian vaccines company to develop a live attenuated COVID vaccine.

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Research, clinical trials, partnerships and developments

A major partnership between Griffith University and Gilmour Space will speed the launch of new low earth orbit satellites

Aerospace technology – Griffith University and Gilmour Space signed a major 5-year partnership that will see Low Earth Orbit satellites developed locally and launched to space by 2023, with extensive R&D anticipated in 3D printing and prototyping, sensor technology and AI, along with a range of student training opportunities.
Clinical trials – The GCHKP accelerates as a clinical trial hub during COVID-19 – Griffith University’s Clinical Trial unit became the first location in the world to recruit patients for a multi-national rheumatology trial while screening the first patient in Australia for another multi-national trial. Griffith researchers were awarded a $2m grant from Queensland Cancer Council to expand ovarian cancer clinical trials., while other university scientists received $1.46m from the National Health and Medical Research Council for diagnostics and therapies for chronic fatigue syndrome. Gold Coast Health reported 94 active clinical trials and 151 research projects, including a world-first trial of a robotic arm brain aneurysm procedure and will co-lead a $2.3m trial into treatments for deadly sepsis.
Medical technologies – materials science researchers developed new implantable electronics for use in brain stimulation and cardiac pacemakers; health technology researchers won the national iAwards 2020 Business Industry Solution of the Year with a device to better identify and treat pain, while another major biomedical engineering project is developing world-first artificial wrist ligament.

The $80m Proxima development by Evans Long was announced as a prestige integrated centre of excellence in child education and health – the first private commercial development in the GCHKP’s Lumina commercial cluster. Construction is set to start in the first half of 2021, with Sanctuary Learning Adventure named as the innovative operator of a special-needs focused childcare centre.

Cohort Labs – Cohort Innovation Space opened new PC1 and PC2 labs in May, including a new biotechnology lab quickly taken up by probiotics-based biotech company Cluster Biotech.

Filed Under: HEALTH, INVEST, PROJECTS Tagged With: childcare, Children's Centre of Growth, Lumina, paediatric research, Proxima, Sanctuary Early Learning

Precinct childcare operator brings passion to help special needs kids

L-R Dirk Long from Evans Long, Lauren Hall, Damian Hall, Sanctuary Early Learning Adventure

Sanctuary Early Learning Adventure currently operates five centres across Queensland, offering the highest quality care and education, and will take this to a new level with their Proxima centre they hope will be a national role model for inclusive early childhood education and development.

Sanctuary Early Learning Adventure cofounders, husband and wife team Damian and Lauren Hall, predict the Proxima-based centre will deliver social outcomes to assist thousands of families caring for children with special needs, not just those directly enrolled.

Lauren Hall said they anticipate about 25 per cent of the 400 enrolments at the centre would be referred children with identified special needs, with the remaining placements open to general enquiries from the community.

“We have wanted to create a centre tailored towards identifying and nurturing children with special needs for many years and have been waiting for the right time and place to put this plan in to action,” she said.

“Proxima is the ideal canvas for us to work from, with an array of paediatric specialists and allied health services expected to work from within the building, in an established community of some of the country’s best medical professionals and academics at the neighbouring hospitals and university.

“The reason we have been working towards this more holistic model is because we were confronted by research showing the high percentage of divorces and the break down of family units when the requirements for a special needs child were not adequately met.

”We are disheartened by the fact that many young children are slipping through the cracks with physical or mental issues that go undiagnosed because they lack access to educators who are trained to notice early warning signs and communicate these to parents.”

Artist Impression of the Proxima

Damian Hall said while their existing centres are already completely inclusive, the new Proxima site will include a more dedicated focus on disability and special needs early education and care.

“We will have an in-house special education director, and will train all staff to be able to manage and identify those with additional needs,” he said.

“We will also be creating partnerships with specialists who come on board at Proxima and those who work at the hospital and university. These specialists will become part of our team and will, with parental permission, have the ability to work with children directly.

“We believe more needs be done to provide streamlined, accessible and timely support for families who may be struggling with a special needs child, and all families who are navigating early childhood development.”

Among the experts the new centre will be able to access close-at-hand is Griffith University Pro Vice Chancellor Health, Professor Sheena Reilly AM, a world leader in speech pathology research, who began her post-doctoral career at the UK’s Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital and Institute of Child Health – Europe’s foremost centre of paediatric research – before returning to Australia 20 years ago and holding key leadership positions including with the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute.

Professor Reilly has received more than $60million in competitive research grants to support speech, language and literacy development in children.

To learn more about Sanctuary Early Learning’s plans visit the Proxima site.

The $80million Proxima building will be the first private development in the Precinct’s Lumina commercial cluster, with construction scheduled to commence in the first half of 2021.

Filed Under: BUSINESS, INVEST, PROJECTS

Proxima shows great confidence in Precinct in midst of a pandemic

Developer Evans Long has lodged a development application with Economic Development Queensland for Proxima – an $80 million prestige integrated centre of excellence specialising in paediatric health.

To be located within Lumina, the Queensland Government’s 9.5-hectare cluster dedicated to growing life sciences, health and technology-related businesses within the Precinct, the eight level building will boast in excess of 11,500sqm of leasable floorspace.

Proxima will feature a 200 place childcare centre which will cater for up to 400 children, including those with special needs, and is targeting medical and allied health services focussing on childhood development.

Lumina’s position within the Precinct provides a unique opportunity for Proxima’s tenants to engage and collaborate with the research and development currently in progress at the Gold Coast University Hospital, Griffith University and the Gold Coast Private Hospital.

Evans Long Director Dirk Long says Proxima has been designed to foster collaboration amongst business, industry, the university and hospital service.

“Proxima’s location within Lumina and the Precinct puts it at the centre of the city’s brains trust, and at the heart of an emerging world-class hub for innovation,” he said.

“Our vision is for Proxima to be a one-stop location for paediatric health, childhood development and childcare, with a range of specialists under one roof who are able to work hand-in-hand with medical professionals within Lumina and the Precinct to provide best practice care.

Property Council of Australia Queensland Executive Director Chris Mountford says the news indicates the appeal of developing within the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct, even in uncertain times due to COVID-19.

“It is positive to see continued interest in undertaking new development within the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct, particularly given the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on business sentiment,” he said.

“The Property Council’s mid-year Office Market Report, released in early August, showed only moderate effects on commercial office vacancy rates across the country.”

While the broader Gold Coast market saw a minor increase in vacancy over the past six months from 12.8 per cent to 13 per cent, the Southport market saw a decrease from 15.4 per cent to 14.3 per cent.”

The project is expected to generate up to 900 new health and teaching jobs and will attract a range of businesses seeking to be at the forefront of childhood development and allied health services.

Evans Long is targeting early 2021 to commence the construction of Proxima, which will be undertaken by its building arm, Evans Built, one of Queensland’s leading private construction companies, with 34 years of experience.

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